Rotary mechanism for the transmission of power



May 27, 1930.

A. COATS ROTARY MECHANISM FOR THE TRANSMISSION OF POWER Filed Nov. 18, 192'? Patented May 27, 193i) UNITED STATES,

.AIJLAN; COATS, OI PAISIQEY, SCOTLAND ROTARY MECHANISM FOR THE TRANSMISSION OF POWER Application filed November 18, 1927, Serial No. 234,218, and in Great Britain November 27, 1920.

The invention, which is a development of that described in the specification of my application No. 73,183 dated 4th December, 1925, relates to a rotary mechanism for the transmission of power of that class in whlch the power applied to an impeller mounted on a drivin shaft is transmitted through the action 0 an operating fluid to a turbine mounted on a driven shaft, a series of return guide vanes being introduced into the operating circuit between the exit from the turbine and the entrance to the impeller.

The invention has for its object to provide an improved rotary mechanism of t h1s class for transmission of power at varylng speeds such that from any applied driving speed and torque there are obtained a driven speed and torque of which the tor ue varies in accordance with the load to e driven while the speed varies inversely as the torque, these variations occurring automatically 1n dependence on the load, and in which the efficiency is high throughout the whole range of speed.

The mechanism according to the invention comprises a fluid circuit including return guide vanes each pivoted near the entrance edge with the exit edge overlapping the entrance edge of the following vane so that the pivotal action is restricted in the direction towards the following vane but unrestricted in the opposite direction.

In one practical embodiment of the invention thereare provided two coaxial caslng members which are arranged with faces in the plane of rotation closely adjacent to one another, one casing being for the impeller to which power is'given and the other for the turbine from which power is delivered.

On the inner periphery of each casing is provided a row of vanes.

Each of the return guide vanes is divided up into a series of short lengths.

The lengths next the turbine are each pivoted near the entrance edge.

The exit edge of each vane, in the direction in which the water is flowing, overlaps theentrance edge of the next vane so that its pivotal action is restricted in the direction PATE'N'T- "or-Flea towards the next blade, but is unrestricted in the opposite direction. The guide vanes may be carried by a sleeve mounted on the driven or turbine shaft, the

last vane in each series being fixed to these sleeve and to the ring or core forming the centre of the water circuit, such vane having no pivotal action.

The sleeve which takes the reaction of the return vanes passes through the impeller casing and is prevented from rotating, or, alternatively, a free wheel arrangement may be introduced whereby the whole set of reverse vanes may be allowed to rotate in the direction of the primary motion but not in the reverse direction.

The sleeve may have passages leading to diiferent sections of the circuit so that an automatic circulation of fluid from the circuit to an outside vessel may be established.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates a mechanism according to the invention Fig. 1 is a fragmentary axial section; Fig. 2 shows, conventionally, the arrangement of the impeller and turbine vanes; Fig. 3 shows, conventionally, the arrangement of the return guide vanes; Fig.4 is a fragmentary section showing a modified construction.

The mechanism shown comprises a driving shaft 1 on which is feathered at 2 an impeller casing member 3 housin a turbine 4 feathered at 5 on a driven sha t 6 coaxial with the driving shaft 1. U on the impeller casing member 3 and exten ing to a section 7 of a core ring are impeller vanes 8 adapted guide vanes, each series being constituted by short vane lengths 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 carried by a stationary sleeve 16 embracing the turbine or driven shaft 6 and embraced where it passes through the casing 3 by a socket l7 threaded into the casing.

The return guide vanes 11, 12, 13 and 14 are pivotally sustained between a ring sec- -tion 15" studded to the sleeve 16 and a core ring section 18 spaced from the sleeve by the final row of non-pivotal guide vanes 15. Pintles 11', 12, 13' and 14 on the guide vanes 11-14 near the entrance edges thereof on ge recesses formed in the member 15 an in plugs 15 screw-threaded 1nto the core ring section 18, the arrangement being such that the exit edge of each pivoted vane overlaps the entrance edge of the followingvane so that the pivotal action of each vane 15 restricted in the direction towards the following vane but is unrestricted in the opposite direction.

According to an alternativemodeofmounting thepivoted guide vanes as shown in Fig. 4 the pivoted members 11, 12, and 13 are each provided with a single pivot 25 engaging an aperture 26 in the core ring sectlon 18.

The vanes 8-15 are contained in a closed circuit for operating fluid which circulates in the direction indicated by the arrow A, having communication with an external vessel by way of ports 19, 20 formed in the sleeve 16 the port 19 being connected to a higher pressure point of the circuit and the port 20 to a lower pressure point. In Figure 1, 27 indicates such an external vessel having a pipe 28 leading to the port 19 and a pipe 29 leading to the port 20.

The sleeve 16 takes the reaction of the return guide vanes and may be stationary as shown in Fig. 1, or, alternatively, a free wheel ratchet arrangement may be introduced as shown in Fig. 4, in which the part 16 of the sleeve 16 is revoluble and is fitted with a ratchet awl 21 co-operative with notches 21 in the s eeve 16 whereby the guide vanes are allowed to rotate in the direction of the primary motion.

A ball thrust bearin 22 is interposed between the adjacent en s of the driving and driven shafts 1 and 6 andto ensure fluiitighb ness a packing rin 23 is inter osed between the nut 17 and a s oulder 24 ormed on the sleeve 16.

What I claim is 1. Rotary power transmitting mechanism comprising a rotary impeller, a turbine, an return guide vanes interposed between the exit from said turbine and the inlet to said impeller, said impeller, turbine and return guide vanes being included in a circuit for aid and said return guide vanes being pivoted near the entrance edge with the exit edge overlapping the entrance edge of the 0 owing guide vane so that the pivotal action is restricted in the direction towards the following guide vanebut unrestricted in impeller, return guide vanes and veel being comprised in a circuit for fluid and said return guide vanes being each pivoted near the entrance edge with the exit edge overlapping the entrance edge of the following guide vane so that the pivotal action is restricted in the direction towards the following guide vane but unrestricted in the opposite direction.

3. Rotary power transmitting mechanism, comprising a rotary impeller, a turbine, return guide vanes interposed between the exit from said turbine and the inlet to said impeller, and a stationary sleeve supporting said return guide vanes, the impeller, turbine and return guide vanes together presenting a circuit for fluid and said return guide vanes being each pivoted near the entrance edge with the exit edge overlapping the entrance edge of the following guide vane so that the pivotal action is restricted in the direction towards the following guide vane but unrestricted in the opposite direction.

4. Rotary power transmitting mechanism, comprising a rotary impeller, a turbine, return guide vanes interposed between the exit from said turbine and the entrance to said impeller, said impeller, turbine and guide vanes together presenting a circuit for fluid, a stationary sleeve, and a member carrying said return guide vanes and having a ratchet connection with said sleeve, said return guide vanes being each pivoted near the entrance edge with the exit edge overlapping the entrance edge of the following guide vane so that the pivotal action is restricted in the direction towards the following guide vane but unrestricted in the opposite direction.

5. Rotarypower transmitting mechanism, comprising a rotary impeller, a turbine, and series of return guide vanes interposed between the exit from said turbine and the inlet to said impeller, the return guide vane's next the impeller being fixed and the return guide vanes next the turbines being pivoted near the entrance edge with the exit edge overlapping the entrance edge of the following guide vane so that the pivotal action is restricted in the direction towards the followin guide vane but unrestricted in the opposlte direction.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

- ALLAN COATS. 

